The Royal Commission for AlUla (RCU) has selected General Hotel Management (GHM) to operate The Chedi Hegra, the first hotel located in the ancient Nabataean site in north-west Saudi Arabia.
Situated within Saudi Arabia’s first UNESCO World Heritage Site and built directly into several existing structures, including an old railway station and surrounding buildings, the hotel will offer 35 guestrooms, three fine-dining restaurants, a café, spa and pool when open by 4Q2023.
Slated to open by 4Q2023, The Chedi Hegra will be built within Saudi Arabia’s first UNESCO World Heritage Site
The vast majority of the UNESCO World Heritage Site will remain untouched by construction and be carefully preserved by RCU to maintain the integrity of Hegra’s natural heritage. RCU will also incorporate sustainable features including a light-touch tourism approach, imaginative infrastructure, planting of native flora, and an all-electric mobility system.
John Northen, vice president of hotels & resorts, RCU, said: “Sitting at the nexus of AlUla’s living museum, The Chedi Hegra embodies the fulfilment of our Journey Through Time master plan with its deep respect for heritage, sustainable design features, and an authentic luxury experience that celebrates what makes AlUla a special destination for travellers seeking both comfort and adventure.”
“As the first hotel within Saudi Arabia’s first UNESCO World Heritage Site… I am certain that guests will recognise and appreciate the value we place in minimising our environmental impact, through the sustainable efforts of the hotel, in addition to our dedication in conserving the legacy of Hegra,” added GHM’s CEO Tommy Lai.
Mira Hotel Collection and YMCA College of Careers have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to offer a career development programme for young talents.
The Miracle Young Star Program is a fast-tracked career development initiative designed by the human resources team of The Mira Hong Kong. The fully-sponsored education programme aims to attract and train young, local talents with little to no experience, providing them with all-rounded training and employment opportunities at one of the Miramar Group hotels from this autumn.
The programme provides talents with training and employment opportunities at Miramar Group hotels
The programme gives fresh graduates as well as mature students who wish to begin their career in the world of hospitality the opportunity to secure a two-plus-one-year training and fast-tracked career development at The Mira Hong Kong or Mira Moon. The two years of education will be conducted in English at YMCA College of Careers, where participants will receive a part-time diploma in Hospitality Studies (QF Level 3).
The college education will comprise four distinctive phases – from onboarding and discovery, to deepening and specialisation. A one-year employment contract will be offered to each participant who successfully completes the programme.
Applicants must meet admission requirements, such as having completed secondary six or possessing a complete certificate or other equivalent qualifications with a one-year minimum full-time study load; or being aged 21 or above. They will also need to pass an admission interview.
Alexander Wassermann, head of hotels & serviced apartments, Miramar Group, commented: “With the launch of this innovative programme, we hope to attract local talents with a promise of solid training and exciting career development opportunity, and as a result strengthen our position in the competitive landscape of hospitality industry.”
“We are excited to kickstart this crucial initiative and look forward to enrolments from Hong Kong’s youth who wish to launch their professional journey at one of our award-winning design hotels combined with an education diploma from a recognized institution,” added Yvonne Wai, assistant director of learning & development, hotel human resources, The Mira Hong Kong.
In celebration of Singapore Cable Car’s 50th anniversary, the attraction has placed Pokémon’s recognisable red and white Poké Balls across the exteriors of all its cabins on the Mount Faber Line.
From May 1 to September 30, visitors to Mount Faber Peak, Harbourfront and Sentosa can marvel at the 67 Poké Ball cabins soaring 100m above sea level.
Singapore Cable Car celebrates 50 years with 67 Poké Ball cabins soaring 100m above sea level
The Pokémon theme extends inside the cabins too, with five different designs, each themed around first-generation characters like Pikachu and Eevee, as well as Sprigatito, Fuecoco, and Quaxly from the latest Pokémon video games.
Atop Mount Faber Peak, visitors will be able to snap pictures at various photo points – including vintage cable car cabins – with a variety of Pokémon like Pikachu, Pichu, Snorlax and Psyduck.
Complimentary collectible Pokémon-themed sun visor are also given out with over-the-counter purchases of Mount Faber Line cable car tickets and bundles.
Mark Willis has been named chief executive officer of Fairmont Hotels & Resorts. He will be responsible for the brand’s portfolio of more than 100 hotels in operation and under development globally.
He brings to the role more than three decades of experience and was previously the chief executive officer for India, Middle East, Africa & Turkey at Accor.
From left: Mark Willis and Yigit Sezgin
Meanwhile, Yigit Sezgin is the new chief brand & commercial officer of Fairmont Hotels & Resorts worldwide. He will lead the entire brand and commercial strategy.
Before joining the team at Fairmont, he was chief commercial officer for India, Middle East, Africa & Turkey at Accor.
IHG Hotels & Resorts has appointed Matthew Everson as cluster general manager of Intercontinental Bali Sanur Resort and Holiday Inn Bali Sanur.
In his new position, he will oversee the refurbishment and relaunch of InterContinental Bali Sanur Resort, while leading the team in delivering operational excellence and innovative guest experiences in both properties.
Everson brings a wealth of knowledge and experience in the hospitality industry and has previously held various leadership in roles in Malaysia, Australia, New Zealand, China, and Vietnam.
American Express’s latest survey revealed that nearly a third of respondents (30%) have four or more vacations planned this year, in an effort to make up for time lost to the pandemic.
More people are planning to take three to four vacations this year to make up for time lost to the pandemic
According to its 2023 Global Travel Trends Report, travellers are being influenced in their choice of destination by four key trends:
The Rise of “Set-Jetting”: popular movies, TV shows and social media are inspiring people to travel to places they see on-screen, like Italy, Paris, and London
Delicious Destinations: from top restaurants to local favourites, to cooking classes, people are choosing their next destination based on what they will eat
A Wellness Wave: restorative vacations are becoming more popular as travellers prioritise self-care and mental and physical health
Travelling Off the Beaten Path: travellers want to discover hidden gems and support the local communities they are visiting
More than half of travellers (52%) from places like the US, Australia, Canada, Mexico, Japan, India, and the UK say they plan to take more trips this year than they did in 2022, with another 50% saying they plan to spend more money on travel in 2023.
When asked about their travel priorities, 84% of Gen Z and millennials would rather take a dream vacation than purchase a new luxury item, and 79% agree they prioritise travel when setting their budgets. Nearly one-third (29%) of respondents acknowledge that one of their motivating reasons to travel in 2023 is to make up for lost time.
Hong Kong remains a drawcard
Asia is a “preferred continent” for 24% of global travellers, particularly with Gen Z and millennial travellers. Among respondents who want to travel to Asia, 20% said Hong Kong is on their list for 2023. The city is a popular destination for people travelling solo or with their friends. Bleisure travel, a trend combining a work trip with an extended vacation, still plays an important role for Hong Kong. Surveyed respondents said that Hong Kong remains one of their selected destinations in Asia for travel, alongside Singapore, India, Japan, Thailand and Malaysia.
Walter Liu, head of the Asia region for American Express remarked: “We are seeing travellers prioritising personalised itineraries built around their passions – from planning an entire vacation for a single dinner reservation to getting the perfect video for their social media.”
Pop culture and social media influence
For young travellers, 75% say they have been inspired to travel to a specific destination because of social media. 70% of Gen Z and millennials agree that they have been inspired to visit a destination after seeing it featured in a TV show, news source, or movie, while 46% of the same group say they have been inspired to travel to a destination because of Instagram.
All for the food
Food is also a draw for many respondents – from visiting top restaurants and local favourites, to taking a cooking class, food greatly impacts where people travel. 81% of respondents agree that trying local cuisines is the part of travelling they look forward to the most. For Gen Z and millennials, 66% agree that they get most of their eating-while-travelling inspiration from social media, while another 47% say that they have planned an entire trip around visiting a specific restaurant.
Caring for own well-being
In addition, prioritising self-care is leading to a rise in restorative vacations. 73% of respondents agree that they are planning vacations to better their mental, physical, and emotional health this year. Gen Z and millennials (60%) shared that they go out of their way to book hotels that offer spa and wellness services.
Mingling with the locals
Finally, travellers want to discover hidden gems and support the local communities they visit, with 85% of respondents hoping to visit a place where they can truly experience the local culture, and another 78% interested in going on vacations that support local communities in 2023.
The full American Express Travel 2023 Global Travel Trends Report can be viewed here.
United Airlines (United) has extended its services to the South Pacific with the first non-stop flight between San Francisco and Christchurch set to commence December 1.
It will be the only carrier to directly connect the US and the South Island of New Zealand.
United Airlines will add a new service between San Francisco and Christchurch from December 1
Currently operating 66 flights between the US and Australia/New Zealand every week, United will increase this to nearly 40 per cent more flights by next northern winter.
The carrier will be adding new direct flights from Los Angeles to Brisbane and Auckland, as well as increase services to the region from its San Francisco hub with daily flights to Brisbane, twice daily flights to Sydney and flying larger aircraft to Melbourne.
In addition, United’s relationships with Air New Zealand and Virgin Australia will enable travellers to make connections from these cities to more than 50 destinations in the region.
Patrick Quayle, senior vice president of global network planning and alliances, United Airlines, said: “Our strong partnerships with Air New Zealand and Virgin Australia provide unparalleled connectivity, and with our historic expansion across five destinations in New Zealand and Australia, United is the clear choice for customers’ travel to the region.”
Starting December 1, United will offer direct flights between the US and New Zealand’s South Island, which will operate three times weekly. Come next winter, it will add four weekly flights from Los Angeles to Auckland as well as offer daily direct flights between Brisbane and San Francisco.
United will also fly twice daily between San Francisco and Sydney, and three times weekly between Los Angeles and Brisbane from November 29.
Meanwhile, the airline will ramp up its services from San Francisco and Los Angeles to Melbourne, increasing from ten to fourteen weekly roundtrip flights.
Switzerland Tourism and Trafalgar have teamed up to develop the first-ever Swisstainable travel itinerary that will support Switzerland’s natural and social resources while achieving Trafalgar’s net zero commitment.
This new three-year partnership aims to introduce a range of Swisstainable products within the Switzerland programme of Trafalgar as well as its sister brands, Costsaver, Insight Vacations and Luxury Gold.
Trafalgar will offer an eight-day itinerary that support Switzerland’s natural and social resources; Lucerne in Switzerland, pictured
Trafalgar’s eight-day journey, Contrasts of Switzerland, will take travellers through Zürich, St Moritz, Zermatt, Geneva and Lucerne, and includes Swisstainable accommodations, experiences, meals, a new Make Travel Matter Experience, and greener transportation considerations such as replacing vans with train travel on the Glacier Express and Golden Pass Train Line.
The Make Travel Matter Experience comprises immersive impact experiences that align with the ethos of Swisstainable. For this itinerary, it supports small, women-owned local businesses in Zurich – travellers join a walking tour led by a local guide through old-town Zurich to learn about the medieval history of the city and current topics of social solidarity as well as learn about the ethical production and conscious consumption of chocolate.
Guests will also be introduced to the work done by those at Essen für Alle (Food for All), which distributes food to immigrants and refugees living below the poverty line in Zurich.
The first Swisstainable itinerary from Trafalgar will depart on April 30.
“Travellers today are very mindful about responsible tourism. Our partnership with Switzerland Tourism is a perfect example of how we are working towards net zero by striking a balance between the realities of our environment with the needs of local communities,” said Mae Cheah, managing director, Trafalgar, Asia.
“Switzerland Tourism is proud to turn sustainable philosophies into action thanks to the partnership with The Travel Corporation (TTC). This partnership will further help us to position Switzerland as one of the most sustainable travel destinations in the world,” explained Pascal Prinz, director global accounts & emerging markets, Switzerland Tourism.
Marriott International has signed seven additional hotels and resorts with Vinpearl, making the latter Marriott’s largest owner in Vietnam with 15 hotels and resorts.
The seven hotels, comprising more than 2,500 keys, add to the eight hotels announced last year when Marriott first partnered with Vietnam’s largest hospitality and leisure chain.
The partnership will see three hotel conversions and four new-builds; Renaissance Hoi An Resort & Spa, pictured
Of these, three are conversions that are expected to join the Marriott system later this year – Nha Trang Marriott Resort & Spa, Hon Tre Island, Renaissance Hoi An Resort & Spa, and Danang Marriott Resort & Spa, Non Nuoc Beach Villas.
The rest are new-builds expected to open by 2028, including the brand’s debut in Bac Ninh, Bac Ninh Marriott Hotel, come 2026.
Rajeev Menon, president, Asia Pacific excluding China, Marriott International, said: “With new locations earmarked in important tourism hubs such as Danang and Nha Trang, our anticipated inaugural resort in the popular cultural town of Hoi An, and the anticipated first internationally branded five-star hotel in Bac Ninh, we are well-positioned to meet Vietnam’s diverse hospitality needs in primary, secondary and tertiary destinations.”
“The pioneering values that are shared by our respective organisations fit well together, and the international power and scale of the Marriott brand provides a great platform to drive international awareness to some of our key destinations across Vietnam,” added Vinpearl’s CEO Juergen Doerr.
JR Group, a dominant player in Japan’s train service network, is looking to raise the price of its JR Pass, a product aimed at overseas visitors to the country, from this October.
It is not yet determined when the price hike will be implemented.
The price of the tourist JR Pass will increase from October; the Tokaido Shinkansen passing by Mt Fuji, pictured
A standard seven-day ordinary car pass that currently costs 29,650 yen (US$221) will be adjusted to 50,000 yen, while a 14-day pass will increase from 47,250 yen to 80,000 yen. The 21-day pass will increase from 60,450 yen to 100,000 yen.
Green car tickets will also cost more, from 39,600 yen to 70,000 yen for the seven-day pass; from 64,120 yen to 110,000 yen for the 14-day pass; from 83,390 yen to 140,000 yen for the 21-day pass.
Everson brings a wealth of knowledge and experience in the hospitality industry and has previously held various leadership in roles in Malaysia, Australia, New Zealand, China, and Vietnam.
